perceiue that which thy blessed Maker would leade thee unto by that more than Majesticke Glorious Comfortable Oracle sounded by His Majesties Glorious Lippes while Hee is about to make Man for Himselfe after that Hee had made the other creatures for man Let us make Man in our owne Image Belieue mee O my Soule Could this Oracle never alace sufficientlie as yet considered by man bee rightlie weighed by thee thou wouldest learne to thinke lesse of the other creatures after the which alace so manie doate so miserablie yea by the which alace there is a verie worlde grosselie bewitched Yea thou wouldest learne to accompt of none but thy GOD yea not to attempt to loue thy selfe but for GODS cause and in so farre as thou findest thy selfe like unto Him What O my Soule Shalt thou bee made to see and heare if thou shalt compare the twentie sixe verse of the first of Genesis pointing at Mans Creation with the third sixt ninth fourteenth twentie and twentie foure verses of that same Chapter leading us to the Creation of the other creatures True it is O my Soule that all these were created by that same GOD by whome Man was also created yet they and Man are not brought foorth after one and the same manner for albeit our GOD being to create the Light the Firmament c. be content to say Let there be Light let there be a Firmament c. yet it contenteth not His wise mercifull Majestie when He is to make Man barely to say let there be a Mā but he must say Let us make Man to our owne Image Thus passing from the Creation of the other creatures to the making of Man not without speciall advise and deliberation as it were and yet heere thou must not thinke ô my Soule that thy powerfull GOD to whom all thinges are easie brought foorth Man with anie greater difficultie than He brought foorth the other creatures or that Hee doubted anie wayes about the making of Man but this is done by Him that hereby His wise Majestie one in substance three in Person Father Sonne and Holie Ghost might recommend to our consideration the excellencie and eminencie of Man beyond and aboue the other Creatures daining Himselfe to take a speciall consultation onelie about the making of Man as about His most excellent and glorious Worke. Shall these three sacred Persons of that incomprehensible Deitie after mature deliberation as it were concurre joyntlie and joyefullie for the making of Man and should not I O my Soule summonding all thy powers with all the members of my bodie after due advise charge them all to concurre for the loving for the seeking and for the serving of that blessed GOD againe crying aloude O my minde O my heart O my will O my whole affections and so ô my loue ô my hatred ô my feare ô my confidence ô my joy ô my sorrow ô mine anger ô my patience concurre to seeke Him concurre to serue Him who concurred to make you yea ô mine eyes mine eares my lips mine handes my feete and remnant members see you all concurre to withstand sinne the enemie of that GOD who with joye concurred to make you and to proue your selues alwayes to be His duetiefull servants who hath proved so gracious a Lord unto you MOurne Mourne ô my Soule when thou rememberest what I was from my GOD being created by Him in Adam and what I am now from my Father Mother having fallen with them in Adam was I not created to the verie Image of His Majestie being so righteous and perfect that in my whole minde heart and will yea that in all the powers of my soule and members of my bodie there was sufficiencie of strength and power whereby I was able to know my GOD to loue my GOD and my Neighboure according to that voyce of the Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule Mat. 22.37 39 and with all thy minde And Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thyselfe And that without anie disorder rebellion or corruption and so without anie darkenesse in the minde frowardnesse in the will rebellion in the heart corruption in anie of the remnant powers of the soule or members of the bodie and being thus spirituallie beautified was I not beside this that great emperour greater than the Turke who styleth himselfe THE GREAT EMPEROVR having all the fowles of the Aire all the fishes of the Sea with all which is here on Earth to be found bound by the verie appointment of GOD to serve me yea most readilie willing by the force of His Majesties blessing accompanying me for to serue me But alace ô my soule as I am now from my parents having fallen with them in Adam I am deprived of that Image of my blessed GOD to the which I was made and so voyde of that righteousnesse wherewith I was then cloathed being shapen and fostered as Seth the son of Adam and Evah was shapen and fostered and how was that O my soule surelie in the sinnefull Image of his sinnefull parents so that now my soule is not simplie wounded through sinne but starke dead in sinnes and trespasses and therefore no wonder that our GOD who onlie knoweth perfectlie what harme sinne alace hath procured to us speake thus of man Genes 6.5 All the imaginations of mans heart are onlie evill continuallie And lest anie man should haue proved or should proue so peart as to apply that saying to these of that first world overthrowne by the Deludge it pleased our wise GOD O my soule after that Noah was brought foorth of the Arke to plenish the Earth againe to sound over againe his former Iudgement touching Man saying Genes 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill even from his youth Oh! ô my soule when shall wee learne to consider rightlie that third Chapter to the Romans by the which that Spirit of trueth describing man unto us as he is out of Christ and destitute of the grace of GOD proclaimeth him to be nothing but a verie masse of vilde and loathsome corruption yea is not this our originall corruption cleared unto us by the holy Scriptures so sensiblie that as wee are acquainted with that good which wee cannot possiblie doe because of it so we are informed anent that evill which we cannot but doe by reason of it 1. Cor. 2.14 2. Corin. 3.5 Roman 7.18 Roman 8.7 The naturall man perceiveth not the thinges of the Spirit of GOD neyther can hee know them because they are Spirituallie discerned Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues I finde no meaues to performe that which is good The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against GOD for it is not subject to the Law of GOD neyther indeede can bee Yea is not holie Paul couched under the tyrannie of this fearfull originall corruption where-with alace wee are infected O my Soule compelled to make this confession
comfortlesse confusion and remedilesse condemnation Alace alace O my Soule When shall the dead senselesse sinners of this Age reade with attention consider with meditation that fearfull Stile vvhich that good Spirit of GOD our Teacher giveth to that Evill spirit the Devill our irreconcilable Adversarie Is not that evill spirit stiled by that Good Spirit The Accuser of the Brethren Where-by thy Teacher Rev. 12.10 ô my Soule the Spirit of thy Father and of thy Saviour vvould teach thee That no sooner doe anie of the Children of our GOD commit especiallie anie grosse knowne sinne against His Majestie but as soone that Evill one praesenteth craftilie albeit maliciouslie the names and sur-names of those vvith their sinnes before GOD crying O LORD Thy Majestie madest this Man to Thine owne Image Thy Majestie delivered Thy Sonne to death for him Thy Majestie vvast readie by Thy Spirit to renewe him and yet for all this Thy great loue hath hee not defiled him selfe vvith abominable Idolatries blooddie Murders filthie Adulteries and Fornications brutish Drunkennesse mercilesse Oppressions c. Wilt Thou not ô just Iudge of the Worlde rub Shame upon the face of such a one vvho hath so grosselie rubbed Shame upon Thy Name and upon Thy Blessed Gospel professed by him Yea vvilt Thou not ô just Iudge of the World adjudge such a one to bee mine for ever vvho hath after the offer and proofe of such rare loue and kindnesse refused to bee Thine O my Soule vvouldest thou not bee loath that such an Accusation should bee made against thee especiallie by such an Accuser Forget not then forget not then to accuse thy selfe before thy GOD to the ende that His Majestie may bee mooved out of pittie for thy Savioures sake to excuse thee yea to defende thee even before and against the Devill thine Accuser and deadliest Enemie BLinde Man slipping the first Path in the which hee should stay his steppes is made to fall from that high vvay in the which alone hee should walke heere and to deboash him selfe in that by-way vvhich leadeth him alace towardes that Lake out of the which there is no redemption because man cannot seeke after that true Director and Guide vvho neyther can deceiue nor bee deceived While hee looketh for Life hee findeth in ende nothing but Death yea vvhile delighting unhappilie in his praesent foolish sportes hee promiseth great commodities and comforts to himselfe confusion yea condemnation proue in ende to bee his portion What Noble wise man ô my Soule having his young Childe to put to Schoole doeth not even after deliberation make choise both of that Master by whom hee would haue him to bee taught and of that Pedagogue by whom hee would have him attended O Man I must tell thee were thy Raiment never so course were thy Cheare never so sober yet thou lodgest within thy Clay Bodie an immortall Soule which would bee wiselie committed to some good Master to some faithfull and painfull Pedagogue But where shall such a one bee found Let no man seeke after Man to bee his Pedagogue seeke after Man to bee his Master but after that Blessed GOD vvho onelie made Man and is able to instruct man truelie to governe man rightlie And so let man seeking after a Master after a Pedagogue runne to the Face of GOD runne to the Mouth of GOD even unto holie Scripture by the which Hee sheweth Him selfe to man by the which Hee speaketh unto man inquiring there To what way he shall take him selfe in what way he shall keepe him selfe while hee so journeth heere to the ende when that Night of Death shall fall downe upon him hee may set his feete upon the Thresholde of the Gate of that Citie and bee received with joye to lodge even for ever in the inwardest Palaces of that Citie Rev. 21.27 within the which no uncleane thing can possiblie enter Oh my Soule when shall the men of this Worlde prooue as holilie wise about the governing of their Soules which must necessarilie either liue or die for evermore as Monoah the father of Sampson was circumspect about the dressing of the bodie of that his sonne who was onelie to liue for a while with him Hee was not praesent with his Wife vvhen the Angel of God appeared unto her but can hee not runne to his God and say I pray Thee my Lord let the man of God whome Thou sentest come againe nowe unto us Iudg. 13.8 and teach us what wee shall doe unto the Childe when hee is borne Alace alace ô my Soule who runneth thus to God Who prayeth thus to God That Hee by His Spirit would teach them by that blessed Booke of His Worde what they shall doe to their owne Soules and to the Soules of those who belong unto them while they liue heere Oh Lord God vvhen shall that true aunswere given by Thy Majesties gracious Mouth made unto David Thy Scholler inquiring Thy Majestie about this purpose bee hearkened unto by the men of this Age bee believed by the men of this Age By what meanes shall a young man redresse his way By taking heede there-unto according to Thy Worde Psal 119.9 That which our Master spake to the vylde Sadducees touching the grounde of their fearefull errour denying the rising againe of the dead may bee moste truelie applied unto all kinde of sinners debording from the vvayes of Pietie of Righteousnesse or of Sobrietie Thou art an Idolater a Blasphemer a prophaner of Gods Sabbath a Traitor an Oppressor a Murderer a false man an Adulterer a Fornicator a Drunkard because thou knowest not and believest not the Scripture to bee that Booke vvhere-by God thy Master teacheth thee vvhat is that thou shouldest eschew vvhat is that thou shouldest imbrace IN manie respectes ô my Soule is the estate of man now alace couched under Sinne to bee pittied but in this respect especiallie That beeing naturallie sensible of the mortall Clay Vessell hee is naturallie senselesse of the immortalt heavenlie Soule What man having a maimed or diseased bodie hearing vvho can cure him knowing vvhere he may find that Cure seeketh not incontinent for that man longeth not even with wearinesse to be with that man and yet alace while man is not onlie wounded but dead in soule through a greater number of sinnes lying on it than there be haires on his head he cannot only refuse to heare that Physician to come to that Physician who is onelie able to cure him but he can finde an heart to hate such a tongue to revile such yea now and then a verie hand to stryke such as advise him to heare that Physician to belieue that Physician and to bee content to receiue his Potions and to use that his Salue which is only able to cure his soule Naaman the Syrian beeing infected with Leprosie 2. Kings 5. informed by that base handmaid who served in his house That there was a man in Israel able to cure him will not stint till he
goe thither so desirous was hee of corporall health That poore woman who was long subject to a bloodie issue Matt. 9.20 is not affraide to throng through the people till she come to IESVS so carefull was shee to bee made whole Can blinde Bartimeus knowing that IESVS was comming by Marke 10. who was able to cure him be stayed from crying O Sonne of David haue mercie on me yea which thou wouldest admire ô my soule no sooner heareth he it sayde to him Bee of good comfort arise Hee calleth thee but assoone albeit he was blinde he threw away his cloathes and hastened unto IESVS Oh LORD GOD when shall the Naamans of this our Age leprous in soule by reason of their monsterous sinnes seeke after that water of the Spirit and of the Word which is onlie able to cleanse them when shall the men the women of this Age monsterouslie defiled from the toppe of the head to the soale of the foote through that continuall running issue of iniquitie which maketh them not only uncomely but loathsomelie stinking in the nosthirls of GOD of Angels and of men sensible of GOD runne with faith towards the Hemme of CHRISTS Garment even His blessed Worde that by it this their running stinking issue may bee happilie dried up when shall the blind men of this world find feete to runne with courage and with confidence towards that bright Sunne of Righteousnesse and light of the Worlde IESVS to the ende they may see that the things which bee seene heere are temporall and not to bee rested upon and that the thinges which are not seene otherwayes but by Fayth are aeternall and onelie to beeloved and longed for O my Soule for thine owne vvarning and vvakening remember CHRISTES loving Invitation Come unto Mee Matth. 11. all yee that labour and are heavie ladened and I will giue you rest to your Soules But with this forget not CHRISTES just Conviction if thou attempt to despise His alluring Charge O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest ihe Prophets and stonest them that come to thee Luke 13. how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Henne gathereth her Brood under her winges and yee would not Beholde your house is left unto you desolate If I had not come Iohn 15. and spoken unto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne OH LORD GOD vvhen shall the loose Christians of this last Age beeing enlightened and quickened in Soule by Thy Majestie in Mercie looking on their dead Soules in the Face of Thy Well-beloved beginne to accompt of that Heavenlie and wholesome Poole of Thy Sacred and saving Worde happilie now running plenteouslie through the force of Thy tender Mercies towardes us through everie Citie everie Village everie Cottage so that all persons of all Rankes blessed bee Thou for this Thy great kindnesse may freelie without feare in season and out of season resorte unto it as those olde Iewes accompted of the perishing Poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. which vvas not to bee found but in the Holie Land neyther in it but in the Tribe of Iuda neyther there but at Hierusalem I must confesse ô my Soule That that Iewish dead Poole of Bethesda in foure thinges resembled our Christian liuelie Poole of the blessed Worde of GOD And yet I dare affirme before GOD Angels and Men That our blessed Poole of the Worde surmounteth that of Bethesda so farre in one thing that if men could take it to heart where one Iew esteemed of that their Poole and resorted unto it hundreths thousandes should esteeme of this soft running Poole of GODS Worde not onelie carefullie resorting unto it but enduring their verie life heere joyfullie delighting to dwell beside it First vvhatsoever disease bodilie a man was subject unto this disease that Iewish Poole was able to cure even so this our Poole of the Worde of GOD is able to cure the Sinner of vvhatsoever Spirituall Sicknesse can over-take thy Soule because of anie sinne thou canst fall into Secondlie as none could bee cured in bodie by that Iewish Poole but such as stepped in into it and were wet there-with so impossible is it that anie sinner can bee freed from his sinnes by the meane of GODS Worde till his soule bee dewed by it and so till hee bee mooved and perswaded to heare to belieue and obey it Thirdlie as that Iewish Poole coulde not possiblie cure so much as one mans bodie till the Angel came downe and troubled the Water of it so this Poole of the Worde can cure the soule of no sinner 1. Cor. 3.6.7 till that blessed uncreated Angel even the Spirit of the Father and of His dearest Sonne come downe as it were to his soule joyning His owne inward Vertue with His owne outwarde Worde and that way stryking the heart by His owne Finger as Hee stryketh the eare by His Trueth Fourthlie as amongst the Iewes no man knewe at what time the Angel woulde come downe and trouble the Water for curing of their diseased bodies vvhich mooved the sicke persons looking and longing for health resorting to that Poole constantlie to lye still at it not departing after manie dayes vveekes monethes yea yeares as is manifest by the practise of that man who lay there thirtie eight yeares So amongst us Christians there is neyther Preacher nor Hearer King nor Subject Man nor Woman olde nor young can possiblie knowe vvhat day vvhat houre vvhat minute that blessed Spirit of GOD will joyne His Force and Vertue vvith that His Worde which is heard making it effectuall to quicken the dead to enlighten the blinde to convert such as haue gone astray to comfort the broken hearted and to confirme those who stand I vvould heerefore advyse thee O my soule if thou bee sensible of thine owne Spirituall wantes and if thou long to haue them supplied to resort thither where thou mayst heare this Word crying unto thy GOD with David One thing haue I desired of the LORD that I will require Even that I may dwell in the House of the LORD Psalm 27.4 all the dayes of mylife to beholde the beautie of the LORD and to visit His Temple Yea it were good ô my Soule in this respect that thou resolve with Anna that religious old widow Never to goe out of GODS Temple Luke 2 36.37 but to serue Him there with Fastinges and Prayer night and day But ô my soule lift up thy selfe on high and hearken even with greedinesse I pray thee to the ende thou mayest heare and consider that one thing yea that incomparablie profitable one thing wherein this Heavenlie Poole of GODS Worde accompanied with His Spirit excelleth yea surmounteth that visible Iewish Poole of Bethesda Could that Iewish Poole ô my soule even beeing troubled by the Angell possiblie cure moe at once or one onlie onlie one at one time beeing troubled could it cure for no moe at one time were cured by it beside
loupe for Ioy within me For by this vvould not thy blessed powerfull GOD whose wayes passe finding out not onlie overthrow but also mocke the malice and craft of the devill to His Majesties great Glorie to Satan his sensible shame and to thy everlasting comfort ô malicious subtill Serpent thou canst cunninglie convey by Evahs eares that fearefull poyson towardes her foule which was able to slay her her husband and their posteritie but is not my good GOD both mercifull and powerfull able to convey to my Soule even by mine eare that wholesome Salue whereby that thy poyson is not onlie made ineffectuall but whereby I am made to liue for ever Thou seest thou smellest thou touchest thou tastest yea thou readest ô man manie thinges alwayes understand it is not by thy sight by thy smelling by thy touching by thy tasting yea it is not by thy reading if thou attempt to despise hearing and so to contemne the Worde preached that thou canst be saved ô when shall that shining Golden Chaine of Salvation presented to us by Paul first be reverenced and then be embraced and keeped by us Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the LORD shall bee saved but how shall they call on Him in whome they haue not believed and how shall they belieue in Him Rom. 10.13.14.15.17 of whom they haue not beard and how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent then faith is by hearing and hearing by the Worde of GOD. EVerie man naturallie loveth life and loving life desireth to liue but alace scarce one of a thousand doth know and consider wherefore life should bee loved and so wherefore man should desire for to liue The Ambitious man with Haman desireth for to liue to the ende his Honour may bee increased The leacherous man with Ammon desireth to liue to the ende hee may satisfie his beastlie Lust The seditious man with Ahitophell desireth to liue to the ende that accomplishing his crooked plottes hee may throw downe such as hee hateth and advaunce those which followe him The avaritious man with the Foole in the Gospel would liue to the ende hee may inlarge his Boundes and augment his Summes The Bellie-god would liue that with the rich Glutton hee may please his taste and fatte his vylde Bellie with the daintiest Fare But bee not those men O my Soule with their desires more than abominable in the Eyes of that holie GOD who made all men for Himselfe and no man for anie thing beside Himselfe Wherefore O my Soule if thou loving thy lyfe wouldest loue it as it becommeth the Childe of GOD to loue life and so if desiring to liue thou wouldest liue for the right ende I would advertise thee to learne of that wise graue Heavenlie-learning Father David That this lyfe is not to bee loved but for GODS cause onelie and so man should not desire to liue Psal 119.17 Genes 3. Luke 1.74.75 Rom. 8.11.12.13 but to the ende hee may keepe GODS Lawe This was the Ende wherefore man having lost himselfe in Adam was redeemed by IESVS CHRIST Yea this is the ende wherefore dead uncleane man is quickened renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of the Father and of His dearest Sonne A Lace ô my Soule as men desire to liue and in desiring to liue doe sinne grosselie because they desire not to liue for the right ende so men desire also to die but alace they sinne in desiring to die because the groundes of their desire are vylde before GOD and nowayes profitable but hurtfull to themselues Could wee desire to liue submitting humblie and holilie our crooked willes to the straight will of GOD to the ende that with David wee might keepe His Law and with Hezekiah that wee might benefit His Children on Earth heere Could wee desire to die submitting also heerein our will to the good will of GOD to the ende wee might cease to breake the Lawe of our GOD and so to sinne against His Majestie yea to the ende that wee might bee with IESVS who is our onelie advantage both in lyfe and in death holie should this our desire bee and happie should wee prooue having such a desire wrought in our Soules Vnderstand understand O my soule that this naturall life is no benefit unto man can bee no benefit for man at all but onelie in so farre as it goeth before Spirituall and aeternall life and so in so farre as it hath Spirituall and aeternall life following it for as that olde Saying ever remaineth true Nemo renatus qui non prius natus None hath GOD bearing them over againe by His Spirit to bee a Christian but such who were borne first of flesh and bloode to be men and women So that shall ever holde true which our Master spake of Iudas It had beene good for that man who is not borne over againe by the holie Spirit that hee had never bene borne of a Woman For Death seazing on that man cannot possibly but sende him to Hell unlesse before death man cease for to sinne And if through GODS Grace man die to sinne before hee die before the worlde hee shall cease from his laboures and rest with GOD for ever Bernhard meditating long agoe upon this and subscrybing to the trueth of it from a renewed humble honest heart drewe up this Prayer unto his GOD I beseech Thee O LORD my Father to bestowe upon mee Thine hungrie Childe three Bread Even that I may knowe that I may loue and that I may doe Thy will So shall I liue for in these three standeth the whole lyfe of my Soule And againe It is commonlie sayde amongst men Hee who feedeth well liveth well But heere Wickednesse doeth most grosselie ô my GOD bewray it selfe for none can possiblie liue well but such who liue ordinatelie sociallie and humblie ordinatelie studying to procure honest thinges both before GOD and man that neyther hee sinne against his GOD nor by his sinfull lyfe offend his Brethren Sociallie living so that hee studie to bee beloved of others and to loue others Humblie that while hee is made thus through the Grace of his GOD to carrie himselfe he be not puffed up with pryde as alace too manie bee But contrarie-wise that with the holie Sainctes of GOD yea with His most blessed Angels Rev. 4.9.10 hee cast himselfe alwayes downe before that Majestie who hath beene so mercifull and beneficiall unto him O My Soule When shalt thou beginne to loue that GOD truelie who hath loved thee dearelie with that sincere loue which His Majestie will accept of as of that loue which commeth from Him and sendeth thee backe unto Him againe Belieue mee ô my Soule albeit there bee some yet there bee not manie who be beautified and gifted with this sorte of loue for thou must know ô my soule that the heart of man hath beene and is clogged and cloathed with a foure-folde loue which would be considered by our
contented that the dead corpse of her dearest childe even within some few houres bee put foorth of her doores But heere ô my foule Wonderest thou not that a more vilde stinke that a more loathsome flewar over-taketh and floweth from the verie dead corpse of GODS Children than from the dead Carions of other creatures as of Fowles of Fishes and of Beastes O my Soule cease to wonder at this and learne to thinke upon that loathsome spring wherefrom this proceedeth I must tell thee O my Soule that the bodie of the holiest man that ever lived on earth heere that Glorious Sacred Bodie of blessed IESVS beeing excepted lodgeth a more vilde guest a more stinking guest onelie loathsome to GOD and His Angels than ever the bodie of anie Fowle Fish or Beast did lodge I must confesse indeede that the bodies of those creatures doe lodge corruption yea much corruption as may easilie bee perceived while they doe liue and especiallie when they bee dead Alwayes that stinking loathsome guest of Sinne they doe not lodge which the verie bodies of Abraham Isaac Iaakob Peter Iames Iohn Paul could not but lodge And therefore no wonder that a more noysome stinke flow from the verie dead bodies of GODS Saincts than from the Carions of those reasonlesse creatures But will Sinne stay heere O my soule albeit this be a deepe stroake No no for Sinne will haue that dead stinking body in the which it lodged sometimes couched under the earth under the seas and there returne into dust out of the which is was taken Genes 3.19 Eccles 12.7 But vvill Sinne stay heere albeit this would seeme to bee that dead stroake beyond the vvhich none can goe in the chide of GOD No no for telleth not Historie us that out of the dead stinking corpse of men and women there ariseth most monsterous and noysome beastes Yea uglie Toades and cruell Serpents Augustine in his fourtie eight Sermon to his Brethren the Heremites affirmeth That Toades are bredde in the braines of the dead corpse and That Serpents are bredde in their Neares Yea writeth not Augustine That hee being at Rome saw a Toade in the Brainpanne of one of their Emperours Dare I here forget the like uncouth spectacle by GODS speciall providence I doubt not for my better resolution anent the veritie of the thinges alleadged presented to mine owne eyes beeing in the Kirke yarde of LEITH in the Month of Iune a thousand sixe hundreth and fifteene yeares for beeing there delightning to attend for a while those honest men building for the time our Steeple I behelde within a grassie bush the heade of some dead corpse having in the outmost part of it a little voyde while I haue a purpose to cause the Kirke Officer put this skull under the earth looking on it more narrowlie I behelde through the voyde part of it to my great astonishment a Toade of an hudge bignesse whereupon I called the worke-men to consider the spectacle vvith mee and having made a little discourse unto them upon the Miseries Vanitie Vildnesse and Pride of man we all beganne to consider how vvee might haue the Toade separated from the head but that wee found altogether impossible till the bone was violentlie broken so little was the voyde part of it and so big was the Toade Let the reader judge where this Toade was bred and fostered For He who knoweth all thinges blessed bee His Name knoweth that I saw it lodged as said is O my soule what if those thinges could be considered by men and especiallie by women in this our licentious foolish Age would they take such paines and delight to fat their claye bodies with all sort of pleasures and pleasant thinges as they doe Would they even with the wracke of their estates feede their bellies dresse their heades cover their backes so daintilie so gloriouslie which must be brought so low and bee made a mother to conceiue a nurse to foster yea a lodging to keepe such uglie monsters Yea if this could be considered O my Soule O! with what an hatred would the Childe of GOD hate Sinne O! with what a care would the Child of GOD arme himselfe against Sinne seeing nothing besides Sinne hath brought all these evils upon poore miserable Man IN this last and worst Age of the Worlde alace O my Soule all men almost seeke after Sinne defile themselues with Sinne yea alace delight themselues in Sinne and all because few men alace studie to acquaint themselues truelie with the nature of Sinne. Men now-a-dayes O my Soule miscarried by their owne deceiving Lustes while they fall into Sinne looke unto men yea unto men onelie as if Sinne were committed against man yea against man onelie And out of this false ground blindlinges alace layde by them as they thinke of the man with whome they haue to doe so they thinke of the sinne which they haue committed If that man bee such a one who may grieue and annoy them then they are grieved for their sinne Alwayes not because that Great GOD is abused by them but because a man who may grieue them is grieved by them If that man bee such a man who cannot grieue them who dare not attempt to annoy them by reason of their grandour and credit worldlie and his basenesse and lacke of moyen with men O then O my Soule they can both digest their sinne sweetlie and goe on in their sinne peartlie and pleasantlie For can those men possiblie dreame that anie beside man hath anie intrest to quarrell them for their sinne Alwayes hearken hearken O my Soule would man suffer that good Worde of GOD which is that Worde of Trueth which never deceived any man which never shall deceiue any man to leade him hee should finde that everie sinne committed on earth beneath heere bee the committer of it King or coatter looketh not lower than the Heaven of Heavens and so he should finde that sinne committed beneath heere is committed against none who liveth heere beneath but onelie against that Supreame Majestie who ruling over all thinges hath His Throne set aboue all Thrones even in the highest Heavens I will confesse ô my soule that a Subject may offende and grieue his King that a King may injure and grieue his Subject that a Father may hurt and grieue his sonne that a sonne may hurt and grieue his Father but Scripture beeing well considered will not suffer mee to confesse that a Subject can sinne against his King or that a King can sinne against his Subject that a father can sinne against his sonne or a sonne sinne against the Father Tell mee tell me O my soule vvhat callest thou sinne Sinne I know being taught of GOD is The Transgression of the Law But of whose Law 1. Iohn 3.4 I pray thee Not of the Law of anie pettie King but of the Law of that KING of Kinges who is that onelie Supreame Law-giver who is able to saue and destroy Knowest thou not Iames
to eate with such men not to bee companions of such men But wherefore 1. Cor. 5.11 Ephes 5.7 O my Soule shouldest thou bee loath anie of these wayes to communicate with Sinne Remember O my soule GODS Threatninges and besides that GODS Execution according to His Threatninges so sure I am thou shalt bee easilie scarred from attempting to communicate aniewise with Sinne unlesse unhappilie thou resolue even with vilde Lameth to The Moste High GOD. Are not GODS Children ô my soule thus counselled by their Father Goe out of Babel my People that yee bee not partakers in her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Revel 18.4 That lying Murderer ô my soule perswaded my Grand-mother Evah That if shee woulde communicate with him in transgressing of GODS Commaundement she should finde a shining precious Pearle But that Spirit of Trueth who delighteth to haue thee living for evermore assureth thee That if thou joyne with a man in his sinnes thou shalt not bee severed from him when hee is plagued for his sinnes But will not our GOD prooue as good as His Worde and so execute as Hee threatned especiallie when Hee findeth that His Threatninges are mocked That will Hee doe undoubtedlie O my soule Corah Dathan and Abiram are sent downe as thou knowest to the Pitte quicke for attempting to rise up against Moyses and Aaron Vpon the morrowe all the multitude of the people of Israel alace communicating with them in their sinne will gather themselues together against Moyses and Aaron crying loudlie Numb 16.41.42.43.44.45.46 and peartlie Yee haue killed the People of the LORD Alvvayes alwayes came there not foorth such a fearce vvrath frō the LORD that before Aaron can come to them albeit he ranne vvith all his force to make an Attonement for them there died of that Plague fourteene thousande and seaven hundreth While the Wife of the Levite vvas villanouslie abused at Gibea a Citie of Benjamin to the death the whole Tribe of Benjamin alace vvill communicate with this Villanie For when the other Tribes their Brethren besought them to deliver unto them the committers of that wickednesse to the ende Iudges 20. And 21. that that evill might bee put away from Israel not onelie would they not obey the voyce of their Brethren but they gathered themselues together to fight against them Alwayes turned not this O my Soule at length to the verie over-throwe of Benjamin Nowe what must thou doe in this respect O my Soule for thine owne praeservation Hearken hearken I pray thee vvouldest thou vvith that valiant Religious Champion Ioshua stand by thy GOD with anie man and fall from thy GOD vvith no man lifting up thine head aboue all thinges earthlie all living on earth towardes the third Heavens in the feare of thy GOD and by the especiall grace of His Spirit conclude thus with thy selfe I will seeke and I will serue my GOD with anieman but I will sinne against my GOD with no man Let the King with his Subject and Subject with his King seeke and serue GOD as Davids Subjectes with him and hee with them did But if all the Subjectes of the Land forsake GOD let the King say with Ioshua I and mine house will serue the Lord. Ios 24.15 1. Sam. 21.17 If the King will fall away from GOD let the Subjectes with Saules Courteoures looke to him and refuse to followe him And if hee attempt to command them to forsake their GOD let them answere couragiouslie vvith the Apostles Whether it bee better to obey GOD or Man judge yee Acts 4.19 Let the Husbande vvith the Wife and the Wife with the Husbande seeke and serue GOD as the Shunamitish Ladie with her Husbande did 2. Kinges 4. But if the Wife vvith Lots Wife vvill looke over her shoulder to Sodome let the Husband vvith Lot keepe his heart and his eye straight upon that Mountaine of Glorie Genes 19. towardes the vvhich the LORD hath directed him If the Husband with Nabal vvill prooue prophane and ungrate let the Wife with Abigall remaine religious and thankfull 1. Sam. 25. Let the Parent with the Childe and the Childe with the Parent seeke and serue GOD as Abraham and Isaac served Him joyntlie and sweetlie together But let the Parent vvith Iaakob learne Gen. 22.6.7.8.9 not to sinne with the Childe for when Simeon and Levi fell into vilde murder vvho were both his sonnes can hee not crye Simeon and Levi Brethren in evill Gen. 49.5.6 the instrumentes of crueltie are in their habitation into their secret let not my Soule come my Glorie bee thou not joyned with their assemblie If the Father will fall away from GOD vvith Saul yet let the Sonne sticke constantlie unto Him vvith Ionathan Yea if the Mother which brought thee foorth fall away from GOD not onelie suffer her not but if GOD haue cloathed thee with Authoritie see that thou take order vvith her 2. Chron. 15.16 as King Aza tooke order vvith his Mother and her Groue otherwayes bee assured that GOD whom thou shouldst not onlie loue better than thy Mother Luke 14.16 but for whose cause thou shouldest hate all that belong unto thee shall take order with thee OH O my soule when shalt thou finde eye-salue to enlighten thee to the ende that thou mayest once see sinne in the own vilde colour of it When shall that Dew come downe from Heaven which may happilie soften thine heart and make it so delicatelie tender that thou mayest once feele sinne in the owne heavie weight of it and so be made now at length to know it in the owne horrible nature with all it drawes after it with all it hath joyned with it and all to the ende that I before I bee made to lay downe this earthlie tabernacle may bee mooved to scarre with it yea to hate it and vvith the verie hazard and losse of all I haue to arme my selfe against it Stoppe thine eares ô my Soule against Satan and close thine eyes upon him also when he speaketh to thee touching sinne when he bringeth thee before sinne or sinne before thee for belieue mee hee will tone it so hee will fairde it so that he will make thee take it for some sweet pleasant wholesome Apple while it is that onlie bitter and destroying poyson which slayeth bodie and soule Open thine eares O my Soule to heare thy GOD enlarge thine heart O my Soule to belieue thy GOD when Hee speaketh unto thee touching sinne for Hee will tell thee that sinne is an uglie defiling thing that sinne is a monstruous uglie defiling thing yea that sinne is a cruell monstruous defiling thing Sinne is an uglie defiling thing making the sinner foule yea even foule in His eyes before whom alone he hath speciall neede to bee cleane and so in the eyes of GOD his Maker and Iudge Sinne is a monstrous uglie defiling thing for none can possibilie wash away that filth which it draweth
Heavenlie Priviledges unto the full fruition and everlasting possession whereof Hee must necessarilie haue us advanced BLessed blessed O my soule beyonde measure be all those whose Father Almightie GOD in His dearest Sonne IESVS hath become And therefore I cannot wonder that that Disciple whome IESVS loved speaking heereof was mooved with a shrill voyce thus to crye foorth resembling some Messenger sounding from a Market Crosse some speciall Proclamation Beholde what loue the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called 1. Iohn 3.2 The Sonnes of GOD. Manie Sonnes indeede hath His Majestie yea our GOD blessed for evermore bee that His only beloved Sonne IESVS who at a great rate hath conquished these Sonnes unto Him hath a verie worlde of Sonnes Alwayes Revel 7.9 the Scripture telleth mee O my Soule That GOD our Father will make all these His Sonnes Kinges Revel 1.6 and everie one of them a King not to reigne for a while honoured with a fading Crowne But to reigne for evermore in that Kingdome 1. Pet. 1 3.4.5 which is immortall and undefiled and which fadeth not away What King earthlie ô my Soule having manie Sonnes is able to make all his Sonnes Kinges And yet foolish man dreameth those to bee happie who bee the Sonnes of Kinges yea of great men howbeit none can bee possibly truelie happie but such who being borne over againe Iohn 3.3 by the Spirit and by the Worde of GOD bee made the Sonnes of The Most High and so Kings at length to reigne in despight of all Tyrantes and tyrannie for ever I shall not offende heerefore ô my Soule albeit my Coate now bee course my Bread bee browne my Drinke small my Crowne sharpe and pricking having terroures within and troubles without Knowest thou not ô my soule howe thy LORD and SAVIOVR comming to this Earth by His death to draw thee to Heaven was cloathed was entertayned was crowned here and yet blessed bee His Name in despight of all hellish and earthlie Powers is Hee not crowned nowe in that highest Heavens with that Crowne of incomparable Majestie and everlasting Glorie Mat. 28.18 having all power in Heaven and on Earth given unto Him Yea possessing a Name aboue all names which are named in this Worlde Philip. 2.9.10 and unto the which everie Knee must bowe O believing Trades man Craftes man Coatter Beggar Canst thou lift up thine Eyes afore-hande to see Canst thou bow thine heart afore-hande to taste the unspeakeable Ioyes which thy Soule shall possesse that incorruptible Glorie which shall compasse thy verie clay Vessell when thou beeing glorified throughlie the Lambe with the Lambe shall goe in and out before the Lambe in that newe Hierusalem which is aboue having on thine head that Crowne of endlesse Glorie cloathed with a long white Robe having Palmes in thine hand and crying joyfullie with a loude voyce Salvation commeth of our GOD that sitteth on the Throne Revelat. 7.9.10 and of the Lambe Let it bee thy Meate then thy Drinke then while thou sojournest heere O my soule absent in bodie from that Lambe of GOD thy Saviour to thinke upon this IESVS to speake of this IESVS to seeke this IESVS to serue this IESVS who hath called thee unto this honour to bee the Childe of GOD and so to be a King for ever to possesse fulnesse of Ioye in GODS praesence and at His Right Hand Pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 KNewest thou O my Soule how farre that blessed wise GOD thy Father hath advanced the flesh of man belieue me thou couldest not offend if I should curse thee if thou attempted but so much as to lust after those evils wherewith alace a verie world of people are nowe grosselie defiled And I could not but bee ashamed to be offended if thou shouldest curse mee if I should prease to giue these members of my bodie unto the committing of those sinnes which thousandes alace doe commit in this our time even with delectation and greedinesse O my soule hath not GOD honoured the flesh of man verie farre in making it to be a Cabinet to lodge that immortal Soule made by His Majestie even of an Heavenlie substance hath not our GOD more highlie advanced the flesh of man in making it to bee the Temple and dwelling place of His Holie Spirit Yea to be that Spirituall Immortall Incorruptible and Glorious plenishing which must fill and keepe the Heavens for ever Yea hath not His Majestie advanced it more than highlie in His blessed and onlie begotten Sonne IESVS that holie One being contented to assume and unite in one personall union with His Godheade the verie flesh of man not onlie for a while walking on earth in that our nature but transporting that our flesh to the highest Heavens so that Hee who is GOD alwayes aequall with the Father and with the holy Ghost is cloathed with the flesh of man And He who is cloathed with the flesh of man is GOD aequall with the Father and with the Spirit ô Coelestiall Spirites and heavenlie Angles who serve your blessed GOD alwayes readilie faythfullie busilie fullie and joyefulâ—ie can ye compare with that man who by a liuelie faith is ingraffed into that God-Man and Man-God IESVS Would that holy One cloathe Himselfe with your nature so that you may say He who is GOD is also an Angell and he who is Angell is GOD Or rather Heb. 2.16 tooke Hee not the Seede of Abraham so that the believing man may say He who is GOD is man also Hee who is man is GOD also ô Coelestiall Spirites said that blessed GOD your and our Glorious Maker ever of anie Angell or to anie Angell The angell Zach. 13.7 My fellow And yet our blessed GOD can speaking to and of His Sonne in whom we are thus beyond measure honoured speake thus of Him The man My fellow Darest thou then ô my Soule attempt to dishonour this GOD who hath so farre honoured thee Yea darest thou attempt to advise me being kitled with anie deceiueable lust to abuse this my flesh or anie member of it since His Majestie hath so wonderfullie advanced it We all thinke that David oversawe himselfe verie grosselie to Mephibosheth the creeple son of dead Ionathan who proved constantlie rarelie kinde to David when having tried the grosse falsehood and seditious treacherie of that villane Ziba hee saide to the poore creeple abused honest man 2. Sam. 19.29 Haue I not sayde Thou and Ziba divide the landes But when shall men who holde themselues for good Christians thinke and confesse that they oversee themselues abusing most grosselie the LORD their GOD when they crye aloude albeit not with their shrill voyces yet with their vilde workes even to the hearing of that GOD to whom they be more than oblieged in all respects but chiefely for advancing their flesh so highly which is the onlie ground of mans whole foelicitie O LORD GOD haue I not said Thou and the Devill divide betwixt
which may grieue GOD and please his Father that hee may obtaine his Fathers favour If an Husband finde that hee is wronged by his Wife let him not doe that which may grieue GOD and please his Wife to the ende he may obtaine his Wiues favour If a Wife finde that shee is wronged by her Husband let her not doe that which may grieue GOD and please her Husband to the ende shee may obtaine her Husbandes favour But let them all sticke constantlie unto GOD doing that alwayes which is good in His Eyes so bee sure that GOD shall eyther mooue King Husband Child Wife and so foorth to doe that which they shoulde doe or else strengthen Subject Childe Husband Wife c. to beare out with contentment the greatest wronges that can bee done unto them Wilt thou not then ô my Soule loue this GOD seeke this GOD serue this GOD with all men and against all men whether hee clappe thee or kuffe thee heale thee or wound thee quicken thee or slay thee TRue Saving Prayer O my soule may justlie be styled That Royall Ambassadour Prudent and Couragious Who lodging alwayes in a cleane Cabinet is directed from that Greatest King towardes that Greatest Monarch and who can no wayes upon anie condition bee mooved to stay from journeying forwardes till he come before Him to whome hee was sent discharging that Commission which hee carrieth in his Bosome and besides Him neyther to Mineon nor Courteour or anie of his Subjectes whatsoever Tell mee ô my Soule can anie in Heaven anie under Heaven teach thee to pray to thy Salvation besides that Great King even the Spirit of the Father and of His Dearest Sonne And therefore that Great Teacher of the Gentiles can resolue thee thus Roman 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighes which cannot bee expressed This Ambassadour of Prayer comming from the Spirit cannot lodge but in the quickened Soule and renewed heart of GODS Childe Reprobates I confesse may possesse manie Delicates but this Delicate of Saving Prayer they cannot haue And therefore the same Great Teacher of the Gentiles can marrie as it were Prayer and Salvation after an unseparable manner together saying Rom. 10.13 Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the LORD to wit being ledde by the Spirite of Adoption the onelie Anker of Heavenlie Supplication shall bee saved Saving Prayer besides this is so prudent and couragious that beeing sent by this Spirite from the honest heart of GODS renewed Childe towardes that onelie Super-excellent Monarch GOD his Father it will not giue so much as a looke let bee a God-spcede as it were unto anie Angel unto anie Sainct in Heaven unto anie Man on earth beeing so directed by that Spirit by whome it was sent till it come in before that Great Majestie of the GOD of Heaven with whome onelie it hath to doe and there in His Bosome powre foorth the selfe O my soule Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Father Psal 50.15 Call upon Mee in the day of thy trouble Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Saviour When yee pray pray thus Our Father which art in Heaven Matth. 6.9 c. Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Redeemer thy Comforter and Keeper If anie man aske Wisedome let him aske it of GOD. Iames 1.5 Search search ô my soule the whole Olde Testament the whole New Testament and trye if there thou mayest forgather eyther with Praecept directing thee to pray unto anie in Heaven or under Heaven besides thy GOD or with anie Promise That if thou prayest unto anie besides His Majestie thou shalt come speede or lastlie with anie practise shewing thee that ever anie of GODS Children ever sent up their Prayers to anie besides that Blessed GOD in whome they believed Vnderstande understande heerefore O my Soule that the ignorant prophane vaine bablinges of the blinde superstitious Papistes can bee no Saving prayers indyted by the blessed Spirite of GOD but windie foolish effectlesse words comming from their owne deceived Braynes and fonde imaginations For if they come from GOD His Spirit they would bee directed unto God onelie but since they bee drawne up unto creatures they cannot come from the true Spirite of that Creator blessed for evermore but from the lying spirites of base cursed creatures THE blinde blooddie restlesse Seminarie compassing the Earth to and froe with Satan sowing alwayes where hee commeth anie occasion being offered unto him his poysoned and poysoning Popple eyther to impede the receiving or to hinder the grouth of the good Wheate of GODS Worde to the ende that hee may perswade Man and Women of all Rankes even with some Greedinesse readilie to imbrace his lying Doctrine touching the Invocation of Sainctes hath verie highlie here-to-fore and doeth verie farre as yet advaunce that effectlesse Comparison taken from the Courtes of Earthlie Kinges And this Comparison hee hath hatched to the ende he may the more subtillie advaunce the Grandour and augment the Wealth of that Vylde Court of ROME And with this not onelie draw away poore simple people from beeing truelie courteous with that KING OF GLORIE Blessed for ever but also to stirre them up albeit hee abhorreth to confesse this to kythe themselues grosse and avowed Traytors against His Majestie O shamelesse Papist Is not this thy fonde alleadgeance as Subjectes considering the Grandour of their Princes and their owne basenesse are accustomed to goe unto their Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures So the Children of GOD considering the Excellencie of that Majestie wherewith their GOD is cloathed beeing sensible in the meane time of their owne vildenesse by reason of those sinnes wherewith they are clogged should not attempt to goe to their GOD but by those Saincts which bee in heaven Hadst thou ô effronted Papist hearkened unto that answere now neareby twelue hundreth yeeres agoe given to this purpose by that famous Bishop of worthie memorie Ambrose thou wouldest haue beene affraid from kepping so greedilie without anie shew or reason Ambrose on Rom. 8. this effectlesse comparison from keeping it so pertinaciouslie even to this day without anie kinde of shame For this cause men and women are mooved to goe unto Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures because Kinges bee but men and know not to whom they should commit the governament of their Countrey but while a man hath to doe with his GOD from whom nothing can be hidde for all men are knowne by Him wee haue neede of no such mediator but of a devoate humble holie heart for whensoever such an heart shall speake GOD shall loving lie answere it But O deceived and deceiving Seminarie to what purpose will this thy comparison serue thee in that countrey where the King with whom thou hast to doe hath by a speciall Edict under His great seale and publicke Proclamation raised thereupon authorized His eldest Sonne to bee
the onlie Mid-man by whom all His Subjectes great and small anie wayes offending Him or standing in neede of anie thing from His hands should haue recourse unto Him discharging them herewith under all highest paine to make anie sure by the mediation of anie other whomsoever Secondlie if the Prince the Kinges eldest Sonne beeing thus authorized by His Father haue by his publicke Proclamation having received speciall warrand from His Father to doe so certified all His Fathers Subjectes That none of them can possiblie come to His Father but by him Thirdlie if the Lordes of the Kinges secret Counsell beeing certified of the trueth hereof would beside this being commanded by the King and His Sonne charge all the Subjectes to come to the Kinges Sonne yea to His Sonne onlie whensoever they haue to doe with the King His Father Now O blind peart Seminarie I appeale thy conscience unlesse thou hast lay de aside all conscience and made that Whore of Babel thy god if thou be acquainted with that voyce which was sounded from the Heavens that day in the which that blessed and sole Saviour of the world was baptized This is My welbeloved Sonne in whome I am well pleased Math. 3.17 Yea hearest thou not this voyce sounding over againe with an addition that day in the which that holie One was transfigured This is My welbeloved Sonne in whome I am well pleased Math. 17.5 heare Him ô Seminarie wilt thou not heare the Sonne saying unto thee I am the Way the Veritie and the Life Iohn 14.6 no man commeth to the Father but by Mee Hearest thou Him not thus sweetelie inviting thee to come directlie unto Himselfe Come unto Mee all ye which are wearie and ladened Mat. 11.28 and I will ease you Yea O Seminarie possessed with a deafe devill when GOD speaketh to thee by His Worde wilt thou not heare that great Apostle Paul who was well acquainted with the whole counsell of GOD saying unto thee There is one GOD and one Mediator betwixt GOD and Man even the Man CHRIST IESVS Sure I am 1. Tim. 2.5 were olde Chrysostome aliue hee would as farre condemne the avowed prophane madde follie of the superstitious papist in this point as hee commended the holie wisedome of that sincere Woman whose Daughter was possessed with a Devil for speakes hee not thus touching her Beholde the wisdome sayeth hee of the woman she prayeth not to Iames Chrysost de Cananea she maketh not her supplication to Iohn she goeth not to Peter neither respecteth she the companie of the Apostles requiring helpe from any of them but instead of them all taking happily unfained repentance for her companion she goeth directly forward to blessed Iesus that only Well which was able to yeeld out that sweet Water which she thirsted for But will the restlesse Seminarie rest ô my soule when these things are broght from the verie Mouth of GOD unto his eares No no for the tricking Seminarie who can cunninglie catch simple souls by his intrapping subtilties will confesse that blessed IESVS that onlie Sonne of the Great King is the onelie Mediator of Reconciliatson betwixt GOD and Man But with this he will maintaine That there be other mediators of Intercession besides Him who may make and doe make request unto GOD for us Spare not spare not here O my Soule to say unto the shamelesse peart Seminarie while hee speaketh thus Avoide Satan as one sent foorth by that craftie Foxe and cruell Dragon first by his subtiltie to snare thee then by his crueltie to slay thee demaunding him even from a strong heart and with a good countenacce thus O Seminarie out of what booke out of whose mouth learnedst thou to put a difference betwixt the mediator of Reconciliation and the mediator of Intercession For out of GODS Booke out of GODS mouth speaking to thee by Scripture thou learnedst it never albeit no booke besides GODS Booke no mouth besides GODS Mouth must in this point informe thee direct thee cōmand thee For telleth not GODS Booke mee and so GODS Mouth first that wee haue no mediator who can possiblie intercede for us at the hands of our GOD but that Mediator who hath reconciled us unto GOD For be not these the words of Paul There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 If Paul had spoken thus There is one Mediator betwixt God and Man the man Christ Iesus hee had spoken enough to convince the lying Seminarie but he wil say more even thus There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Iesus to make the Seminarie ashamed if hee could be of his subtiltie For hereby he would tell thee ô my soule That as there is onelie one true God and no wayes in anie respect another even the Father Sonne holie Ghost so there is onlie one true Meciator and no wayes in anie respect another Secondlie telleth not Gods Booke and so Gods Mouth mee That this Iesus Christ could not possiblie haue bene a Mediator of Intercession for us praying to God for us unlesse Hee had bene a Mediator of Reconciliation for us by His blooddie Sacrifice satisfying His Fathers Iustice for our Sinnes O vilde Seminarie darest thou giue that great Disciple whome Iesus loved and who lay in Iesus Bosome the Lie And yet speaketh he not thus If anie man sinne we haue an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and He is the Reconciliation for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2.1.2 Thus joyntlie joyning Christs Intercession and Reconciliation together and from His Reconciliation of us proving That He hath onlie right to intercede for us for if He had not reconciled us He could no wayes haue had any interest to pray for us neither durst we haue had attempted to haue had recourse to Him as to our Mediator Yea which is more O my soule if He had not bene our only Reconciler He could not haue bene our Mediator at all Let me not herefore ô my soule heare anie more word touching Maries intercession anie whisper touching Peter Paul and so foorth of Angels and of Saincts intercessions for were anie of these crucified for me hath anie of these reconciled my God to me but let mee heare alwayes my blessed and onelie Iesus let mee see Him let mee imbrace Him let mee kisse Him yea let mee keepe Him while I breathe in the inward Coffer of my heart as mine onlie Mediator who hath reconciled me to God who intercedeth for me with God for mine eyes haue seene mine eares haue heard mine hands haue hādled that sweetest smelling Sacrifice offered up by Him upon the Crosse unto God His Father for all my debt of sinne and of punishment due unto mee for my sinnes And this His Sacrifice I haue seene heard and handled in that cleane and cleare Looking-Glasse of Gods Worde and in that shining Mirrour of the Sacraments annexed by His Majestie unto